Tenant Cried Fraud to get her rent back! Rent Charge Back

[Michael Taylor]

I am not sure if this post is me just venting, or use it as a warning to other landlords. I had a tenant whose business was shut down by the city of Chicago for unlawful activity in my commercial unit, to dispute the rent she paid me over the last two months and got her money back. I have my rents processed through Apartments.com (they purchased Cozy). After the city shut her down, she called her bank (BMO Harris) and disputed the charges of rent stating that it was fraud, they deducted August and September rents from my account. I went to management at my bank, and at BMO Harris (which is the bank of the tenant) and the bottom line is there is nothing I can do other than to take her to court. I am so pissed! Makes me want to stop using Apartments.com as anyone can dispute the charge and they get their money back, the banks will be on the side of the consumer not the merchant.

Are there any recommendations of other companies that I can use that will better protect me as the merchant? How are other landlords handing this issue of charge backs?

Thanks in Advance.